A New Drone From DJI: Product Launch Coming January 23rd

Here we go again. DJI have just released a trailer for a product launch later this month, due to be held on January 23rd in New York. Plenty of people expected a drone announcement to be made at CES 2018. Now it looks like the Chinese manufacturer held off and in order to take full advantage of the spotlight.

Here’s what we know so far: Not a lot. This is the video released by DJI earlier today…

#AdventureUnfolds – DJI’s New Drone

So Adventure Unfolds is the tagline for DJI’s latest drone. It feels like only yesterday that we were overanalyzing the meaning of ‘Seize the moment‘ last May. So we might as well go ahead and do the same here. We only have the fleeting glimpses offered in the teaser video below, but still.

‘Unfolds’ is an obvious reference to the fact that this will be a folding drone of some sort. The only thing fitting that description in DJI’s product line currently is the Mavic Pro. So perhaps we could be looking at another iteration of the Mavic – this time more sophisticated than the silver ‘Platinum’ that launched back in August.

It wouldn’t be the first time that DJI has moved to cannibalize one of its most popular models.

After all, the usual pattern from DJI is to fully iterate a model before moving up to the next level. That was certainly the case with the numerous variations of the Phantom 3 before the Phantom 4 was launched. It has also happened with the Phantom 4 range, although we are yet to see the Phantom 5.

It’s a very sophisticated form of recycling that no other manufacturer has been able to match in the industry.

But what about the ‘Adventure’ part? Well that makes us think that this is something entirely different from the Mavic Pro. Could DJI’s upcoming drone be the response to the now-deceased GoPro Karma, targeted at the adventurous sort who want something more rugged and modular?

A weather-proof consumer drone would certainly be a big step forward for DJI. And all the hints at the elements in the video suggest that is what’s coming.

The Next “Big” Thing?

The marketing folks at DJI don’t do things for no reason. We’re betting that the “big” in ‘next “big” thing’ has been placed in speech marks for a purpose. We’d guess because it’s not going to be big at all. Is it too soon for another Spark? Yes, it is. Plus, a smaller drone wouldn’t make much sense given the new Tello that’s just launched on the company’s website.

Which leaves us with a sturdier, foldable, weather-resistant, small-but-mighty, adventurous iteration or evolution of the Mavic Pro. That’s the official DroneLife prediction. Here are some shots from the video to help you make an equally educated guess…

Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.Email Malek
Twitter:@malekmurison